Gary Heidnik: How & When Did the Killer Bishop Get Caught?

Gary Heidnik: How & When Did the Killer Bishop Get Caught? By Gary Heidnik, widely known as the Bishop, was a murderer and serial rapist who lured six women and held them captive in his Philadelphia home between November 1986 and March 1987. He reportedly served in the army many years before that and lived a lonely life after he briefly served time in prison and lost custody of his three children. However, as per a report by , he abducted women and attempted to impregnate them.

reported that he was caught after one of the victims, Josefina Rivera, managed to flee from captivity and alerted authorities. Rivera was a sex worker and was picked up by Heidnik in 1986. At that time, Heidnik had started the United Church of the Ministers of God.

He ordained himself as the Bishop and ran the church out of his living room. The Bishop held Josefina Rivera in his basement when she was just 25 years old and a mother of three. She was reportedly his first victim before Gary Heidnik kidnapped 24-year-old Sandra Lindsey, 19-year-old Lisa Thomas, 23-year-old Deborah Dudley, and 18-year-old Jackie Askins subsequently.

Rivera, according to , began cooperating with Heidnik and helped him torture the other victims. When Deborah Dudley and Sandra Lindsey died from the torture, she reportedly assisted Heidnik to dispose their bodies and kidnap another victim, Agnes Adams. However, Josefina Rivera only helped Gary Heidnik to earn his trust.

When he was convinced of her loyalty, he let Rivera make a.